Help please!I don't think my Windows Firewall is working. When I click on the icon I get the message "Due to an unidentified problem, Windows cannot display Windows Firewall Settings".When I click on Security Centre I get a messsage it is not working and needs to be started. However, when I go in to services their is no option for Security Centre to choose so I am unable to manually start it or set it to Automatic.I use to run McAffee but having had my PC repaired the repairer installed AVG Free and MIcrosoft Security Essentials.I have been impressed by MSE so have cancelled my McAffee subscription and unistalled it together with AVG.I have also taken advice of Forum and used clean up tools on both McAffee and AVG.I am an XP user with the Media Centre version.Any ideas please as to what I can do? - I am not very tecky so simple advice please.Many thanks1 person needs an answerI do too

Help please!I don't think my Windows Firewall is working. When I click on the icon I get the message "Due to an unidentified problem, Windows cannot display Windows Firewall Settings".When I click on Security Centre I get a messsage it is not working and needs to be started. However, when I go in to services their is no option for Security Centre to choose so I am unable to manually start it or set it to Automatic.I use to run McAffee but having had my PC repaired the repairer installed AVG Free and MIcrosoft Security Essentials.I have been impressed by MSE so have cancelled my McAffee subscription and unistalled it together with AVG.I have also taken advice of Forum and used clean up tools on both McAffee and AVG.I am an XP user with the Media Centre version.Any ideas please as to what I can do? - I am not very tecky so simple advice please.Many thanks

hi web fixLet me fix it myselfTo enable Windows Firewall, follow these steps:Click Start, click Run, type Firewall.cpl, and then clickOK. On the General tab, click On (recommended).Click OK. Note If the General tab or the On (recommended) option is unavailable, the system may have a policy against running the firewall. Contact the system administrator for more information about how to enable the firewall. In addition, the system may already be running a third-party firewall (Zone Alarm or Norton Internet Security, for example). Contact the system administrator for help in determining whether a firewall is already running on the system

Hi,Follow the steps from “You cannot start the Windows Firewall service “http://support.microsoft.com/kb/920074“You cannot turn on or turn off the Windows Firewall setting on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer” http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914230/en-us DianaMicrosoft Answers Support EngineerVisit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.If this post helps to resolve your issue, please click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.

Hi Diana Many thanks for the help. I tried running through the first links steps and came up against "Missing Entry: InstalHinfsection" Kept going through instructions and got "The specified service does not exist as an installed service" I then went for your second link and followed instructions. The Firewall is now working and I the firewall window now comes up allowing me to switch on / off etc. so that is a great relief. However, whilst I can view the Security Centre window it is still telling me that "The Security Centre is unavailable because the service was not started or was stopped etc etc etc" I have looked in Services again and the service is still not show here - is there nything else I can try apart from re-installing SP2 to re-install it? Does it really matter if Security Centre is not working (i.e does it mean I will not be prompted with warnings etc) To re-install SP2 would I have to switch off automatic updates first and would this then mean several years of updated to follow. I have partially tried already and kept being routed back to the automatic updates window and wasn't quite sure i had found the SP2 download. Sorry for all the questions but you have been an absolute fantastic help so far. Many kind regards. Paul

Hi,You may run the system file checker tool. This will replace any missing file.a) Click Startb) Click All Programsc) Click Accessoriesd) Click Command Prompte) Enter the command sfc /scannow (you will need to have your XP disk handy)“Description of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 System File Checker (Sfc.exe)”http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310747DianaMicrosoft Answers Support EngineerVisit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.If this post helps to resolve your issue, please click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.